10 years later: We feel Dr Tajudeen’s love

Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem

May 2019 marked 10 years since the sudden departure of Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, a scholar, writer, Pan Africanist and above all, a dear friend to many. I was privileged to be one of them.
Ten years is a long time, but not long enough to erase even the slightest memory of a man who was an icon to many, and he left a big gap.

Tajudeen’s legacy brings to mind a piece of advice I heard from my father, he often told us to try and attain excellence in all our endeavours to leave some kind of legacy behind. Easier said than done.
In tributes I wrote after the passing of Dr Tajudeen, I stated some of his qualities and shared memories about times we met in Uganda, and later on in Nairobi, Kenya. But one thing that touched me, was the seed of love for Africa that he planted in my heart.

Dr Tajudeen was the secretary general of the Pan African movement, the director of Justice Africa and deputy director of the United Nation Millennium campaign for Africa. But for me he had one more title: A true Ambassador for Africa. We sometimes talked about the stereotypes spread in the world about Africa and while I met many African friends who expressed their anger about these misconceptions that were based on ignorance. Tajudeen had a subtle and calm approach about it. This self-confidence emanating from a man, who was himself an icon, deeply touched me. He was not defending a cause, he was portraying a reality that someone like me was lucky to witness.

I sometimes think if I can inspire one person as much as he inspired me, it would be a great achievement. When we were seated in a group of friends, Tajudeen’s laughter was heard by almost everyone around, prompting people to wonder what was going on in our group. His enthusiasm was infectious and the stories flowed endlessly.
He had a kind heart that helped many, and it was at one of our meetings that I heard from him an interesting statement. He said, crying was human and he never thought of it a sign of weakness. Well, I always took pride in the fact that I rarely cried, I thought I was strong enough not to cry, except during harsh circumstances, at that moment it hit me that my thoughts were very vain.

Since then, the tear tabs in my eyes have been oiled, the rust is gone and tears flow, what a relief! You are fondly remembered, as you always quoted Kwame Nkrumah: Forward ever, backward never.